MOTHERWELL manager Stephen Robinson is hoping to welcome Hearts counterpart Craig Levein to Fir Park today, as he admitted that the job has taken its own toll on him since taking over as a number one.
Robinson is all too aware of the stress that comes with being the figurehead of a top-flight club, and the demands it puts on managers both physically and mentally.
But he has no doubts that Levein will soon be back in the thick of the action, because the job is like an obsession.
“I feel for every manager, it’s a stressful job,” said Robinson. “It’d be great to see him back in the dugout.
“I saw in the press he’s back on the training ground so that’s nice to see that it hasn’t kept him out too long. If he’s here, brilliant, we’ll welcome him.
“At times it’s an impossible job. You can’t ever keep everybody happy in this job.
“It’s a stressful job 24 hours a day, but we choose to do it, nobody forces us.
“It effects everybody’s families and their personal lives as well but we choose to do it. You have to be a strong character and people like Craig can deal with that. I hope that he bounces back health wise as well.
“It’s in our blood. Anybody that’s doing it, it becomes an obsession to you.
“You have to try and stay in your job. It does have effects on everything; on your health, on your outside life.
“You’re constantly thinking about it 24 hours a day. Once you win a game you enjoy it for about 20 minutes and then you’re thinking about the next game and who’s injured and who’ll train Monday.
“If you lose a game it takes over your life for a week until you get a chance to change that.
“I think we’re all mad if I’m honest, but it’s our choice.”
Robinson is also hoping to welcome back a fit Allan Campbell into his midfield after he was limped out of Scotland under-21’s victory over The Netherlands on Tuesday night, but it will be a late call on the youngster.
“He’s been a revelation for us since he came into the team and he’s become a regular,” said Robinson.
“He’s an important part of what we do. He’s really only missed yesterday and we looked after him.
“He’ll train [on Friday] and see if he’s any reaction on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, Chris Cadden, who also played in the win over the Dutch, says that the victory has boosted his own confidence ahead of a return to domestic action.
“It was good to be away with the boys,” said Cadden. “For any Scotland team to go and get a result in Holland is pretty special, so it was brilliant for us to do it.
“It wasn’t a fluke either, because we beat them at home as well comfortably, and it gives us a chance of qualifying too which is great.
“There’s no inferiority complex against these teams now. I just go into these games looking to test myself against the best.
“A lot of them play in big leagues in England, Germany and Holland, so it’s a really good standard and hopefully I did myself justice.
“It’s a quick turnaround, I only got home on Wednesday so I’m full of confidence going into the game on Saturday.”
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